Insurance means adding an extra layer of protection to yourself, your family, and your property. It helps you to know that you are not the only one watching your back, and should anything go wrong someone somewhere will hurriedly come to your rescue.
However, many still do not understand the term, what you can insure, how it works, or how to even begin the process.
Also, know that there are different types of insurance, and each provider has rules and what works for them and their policyholders. But let us begin by understanding what insurance is and the types of it.
What is insurance?
It is a type of legal contract between an insurer and a policyholder; for the insurer to protect the policyholder from risks of financial loss arising from an unexpected or expected incident. In turn, the policyholder will be paying a certain amount of money to the insurer.
So, the legal contract must be in favor of both the insurer and the insured. The insurer is an insurance company, the legal contract becomes the policy, and the insured becomes the policyholder. A policyholder may be an individual or an organization. Any of them has an insurance policy that benefits them.
How insurance works
Individuals who need insurance of any kind will first select the right provider company. There are different kinds of these companies that cater to different insurance needs. The right one will take up the goal of paying for any risk that comes to whatever has been insured, according to the rules of the policy. For this reason, the policyholder parts with an amount of money weekly, biweekly, monthly, or annually.
When an incident occurs, the policyholder quickly files a claim to the provider demanding a refund for the financial loss the incident incurred or demands that the provider company cover the expenses from the incident. In turn, the insurer makes sure that the financial loss or the incident happened according to what is written in the policy and not outside of it or through a random occurrence.
Again, some policies demand that a family member receives the payment from the insurance company and not even the policyholder. While some policies will not pay the policyholders so long nothing happens and the policy expires. All these policies depend on what the insurer is protecting, and we can think of many things you can insure as an individual and a business owner.
Types of Insurance
Many things can go under protection, especially what we use in our everyday life. Businesses or organizations benefit from this protection even down to their invaluable staff. Also, you can have multiple insurances if you can maintain them. Some states in America enforce some of this insurance coverage so ask questions about the insurance policies that are a must before moving to a new State.
Life
Life insurance is the coverage an individual buys on their life. The coverage necessarily does not pay for any incident but allows the policyholder to pick a loved one who will benefit from the coverage. Businesses and companies can buy life insurance for their employees too.
In essence, life insurance has different types and many advantages but mainly, there are temporary and permanent life insurance policies. The highest advantage is the beneficiary benefits meant for your loved ones in the event of your passing.
Medical insurance
You can get this protection from the government if you do not want to buy from private insurers. In the United States, the government offers different medical insurance policies at a very subsidized rate or for no cost at all. From the government, you can qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. Children are not left out, the CHIP provides health care for qualified children.
Individuals who prefer buying from private companies must be sure that the policy covers all they wish for.
Car
Car insurance is among the insurance some states insist on for the locals. The car insurance pays for when a policyholder and his car are involved in an accident. The insurer pays for the medical bills of the victims involved in the accident and the repair of the car. Also, when an insured car is vandalized or stolen, the policyholder files for the claim and the insurance company reimburses them for it.
Moreover, there are other policies you can add under your car insurance like, requesting fuel if you mistakenly experience an empty tank and can not access a fuel station or a repairer if your car breaks down on the way.
Homeowners Insurance
New homeowners can insure their homes with this coverage against accidents like vandalism, break-ins, fire, and natural disasters. Homeowners insurance is necessary especially if the house is located in an accident or natural disaster-prone environment.
So, in case of any incident affecting the house, the policyholder will be saved from going into financial loss because the insurance company will pick up the bills and rebuild what was damaged.
Mortgage Insurance
Mortgage insurance helps to pay for the mortgage of the house a policyholder is living in. Now, there is mortgage insurance and mortgage life insurance.
Key person insurance
This is for companies with staff holding sensitive positions in the company and wish not to lose such person(s).
Other types
- Renters Insurance
- Truck drivers insurance
- Travel Insurance
- Disability insurance
Insurance terms
When you buy a policy, there are languages or words specific to insurance that everyone must know before buying coverage.
What is a premium?
A premium is an amount you pay to your insurer as a policyholder in exchange for your coverage. The premium has to be continuously paid to keep the policy in force.
What are Deductibles
You’ll find deductibles in medical insurance policies and others. It is an amount you must pay out of your pocket before the provider company steps in to foot the remaining bills.
What is a policy limit?
This policy limit is the highest amount an insurer will pay out to cover a financial loss of a policy. It differs according to policy and the general cost of the policy.
Conclusion
There are necessary things in life, and insurance is among the very necessary. For coverage, many companies offer protection so a potential policyholder is not limited when in need of buying a policy.
